Fertility and cancer: what you need to know
Information this guide covers
Jump to a section, or use the navigation links at the bottom of each page.
- Chemotherapy/immunotherapy/hormone therapy and fertility
- Radiation therapy and fertility
- Surgery and fertility
- Early menopause
- Fertility preservation options
Or download a PDF version of this guide
Important: Before you start treatment for cancer
Fertility is the ability to make a baby. Cancer and treatment for cancer can affect your ability to have children. It is very important to tell your oncologist (cancer doctor) and team if you want to have a child. There are different ways that you or your partner might be able to keep your fertility.
It is hard enough to think about cancer and cancer treatments. If you need to make decisions about family planning and your sexual health you can get anxious and stressed.
It’s very important to know that you are not alone. If you have a partner talk to them about what is important to you. Sometimes it is helpful to talk to a professional counsellor.
Patient and family support services can provide counseling to patients and family members.
To get in touch visit the patient and family support office at TG-230 (on the ground floor of the Odette Cancer Centre) or call 416-480-4623.
For female patients or patients with female body parts (vagina, uterus and ovaries) it may be hard to get pregnant, carry a pregnancy or to give birth because of the cancer you have or the cancer treatments you get.
For male patients or patients who have male sex organs (penis, testicles) your sperm may be affected. Healthy sperm is needed to fertilize an egg for a pregnancy.
